A Slight Set Back
by Athena174
Summary: She was going to do it, she was going to take a job. Finally. When Lucy goes to fill a request she did so determined and excited. When things start to get tough she tries not to rely on others, but sometimes that just happens. It seemed fate already had plans. Nalu? Well, maybe. Or not.
1. Part 1

Lucy was late on rent. Again. Yet there was not much she could do about it. Why? Well if you must ask, it was because her team didn't want too. And she knows she pretty useless without them. Well, she thinks that. She should know that her teammates didn't think that. They just thought she should have a break. They though after the tartous thing that she wouldn't want to work. But it has been three months already and Lucy was ready to move on. She knew Aquarius would make fun of her, but why am I telling you this story? She should.

...

Lucy was spent. She hated this, her guild mates treating her like fragile glass. Their pitying glances and worried frowns. She didn't understand why it was aimed at her. She wasn't the only one who lost something or someone. Both Natsu and Gray lost their freaking father! Elfman, while mind controlled, blow the guild up! That's just a few, but the point was she wasn't the only one suffering! And yet everyone was focused on her. Maybe because they knew she was weak. Because the only way she could save anybody was to sacrifice one of her dear friends.

"Lucy?" I snapped out of my self pitying/self loathing thoughts and slowly looked up at Mirajane. Yeah, I know that having inner turmoil seated at the bar really wasn't the smartest decision I ever made, but I was waiting for Natsu and he wa- "Lucy?" Mirajane asked again with even more concern in her voice.

"Yeah, sorry. What was that?" Even to me my voice sound distant and hollow. Which probably didn't help matters.

When Mirajane's eyes became yet even more disquiet I knew I was right. "I asked if you want something to eat. Are you okay?"

Before I could brush off the question Natsu finally arrived. "Ay Luce!"

I turned away from Mira and waved to Natsu who was walking towards us with a surprising large grin and Happy floating beside.

"What gots you in such a good mood?" I asked a tiny bit afraid of the answer.

"We found a way to pay your rent without taking a job!"

Sigh. Here we go. "How?" I don't mean to be short with him. It just happens.

"Well it involves this thing i just bought at the market..." He mumbles a little bit when notices more than a few people staring at us. "Well, we'll tell you on the way." he started gesturing to the door with a clear 'get moving' look on his face.

"Natsu! Just tell me." Sometimes conversations with Natsu aren't very fun. Normally his slightly airheadedness is cute to me, but not right now. Mostly cause I'm just not in the mood.

"Well, if you would just come with, Luce, you would find out. All that matters is that you don't have to take a guild job, buuuuut you can keep your apartment!" He sounded so excited about it that I almost felt bad about shooting whatever idea he had down. Almost.

"No." One word of mine and I got many more of his, most of which was whining. I made it worse when I added "I'm going to take a solo job."

"What's flame-brain complaining about now?" Grey asks as he slides into the stool beside me at the bar. Where, as you should know, this entire headache inducing conversation was taking place. Surprisingly Natsu didn't respond to him just kept pouting at me. The expression was so adorable that I almost backed down. I hadn't thought about taking a solo job when I threw that out there, but the more I thought about it the better the scheme sounded. I could take a job, one that's not to hard but not to easy, and I could prove myself. Then I would be less depressed and crap.

With these determined thoughts running through my mind, I stood up and marched right over to the Request Board, greeted Nab, then started looking for a suitable job. It took me approximately ten minutes to look through them all and pick a perfect one. By then Erza, Mirajane, Natsu, Grey, and Juvia had all tumbled over and were watching me. "Mirajane, I'll take this one!" I finally announce and watched with mild amusement/mild annoyance as all my friends leaned in to get a closer look at the flier I held out in front of me.

It was a job in the next town over that asks, very politely, if we could get rid of a mysterious monster that was eating the livestock.

"Are you sure Lucy? The local guild turned it down, it could be more difficult than it seems." Mirajane said.

"Or it could be so completely harmless that they disregarded it," I point out. "I'll be just fine." I tell to the five, well four, faces peering at me worriedly.

"Yeah because I'm coming with."

"Yes, I too shall accompany you on this mission."

"You can count me in."

"Well, if Grey-sama is going I too shall go. Even if it's you, Love-rival."

"Aw that's so sweet," I manage to choke out and my friends nod their heads in agreement, "but no." Their heads jerk to a sudden stop. "I'm going on this solo for once; I've never done that before."

When they all started to protest, lead by the Titania herself, I was surprised when it was Mira who stopped the complaints.

"Guys let her do this," she started in her sweet voice,"she's been feeling down all week. Doing this job will cheer her up."

"Thanks, Mira." I said thickly. Wow these few minutes have got me emotional. Sniff. There were still some shaking of heads and pressing of lips, but they finally said they would allow me to go; I needed permission apparently. And that was that. I was taking a solo job.

I have a really good feeling about this, I thought to myself at that time. If only I had known then what I know now.


	2. Part 2

"Attention passengers, the train is departing, please take your seats. We will be arriving in Langon in a half hour. Thank you for riding with us." The monotone voice of the train lady person droned out boredly. The fact that it's only half hour away by train made me regret my decision to pay for a ticket; surly just driving there in a magic-mobile would be faster and cheaper. Oh well. Too late.

My stomach grumbled out in the most unladylike manner reminding me that I hadn't eaten in the last three days. Which wasn't my fault; I've been busy packing and too nervios and/or excited to eat. I thought about getting something from the diner cart, but spending even more money right now sounded less appealing than going a little hungry for a while. The food on trains is always more expensive anyway; I'll be fine till we get off. With that thought a sleepy spell fell over me, and I was out the rest of the ride.

I was disturbed out of my slumber by the announcer announcing that we had arrived and asked, well, insisted that we gather our belongings and depart from the train. I stretched, trying to get the stiffness out of my limbs, and let out a jaw popping yawn. After I got my stuff and stepped off the train I was hit with a feeling of homesickness. Or lest the feeling of missing my friends. This _was_ the first time I've ever done something like this by myself and to be honest it freaked me out. Nervous butterflies were wreaking havoc on my insides and I think I'm shaking; nevertheless I strode on, clenching my fist while taking deep, calming breaths. Too tense to remember to eat I skipped and sign into my hotel room and tried to achieve the oblivion of sleep. Traveling so late at night was another bad decision of mine so I was exhausted, but sleep evaded me. Thought of what I needed to tomorrow echoed through my head all night.

The next day I went to the mayor's office to get filled in on details. The city hall was a grand building with that government feel to it, with its arching ceiling and columns where columns didn't need to be. The opposing feel of the place didn't help calm me enough to be comfortable. I shyly glided up to the large deck in the front center of the room-where the receptiveness was- and smiled a smile that probably looked more like a grimace. "Hi, I'm Lucy Heartfilia. I'm here to talk to the mayor about a request he sent to fairy tail?" The last part came out like a question because the look she was giving was not one of friendliness.

"Hun, the mayor's office is in the building next to us. You're in the wrong place." The worst part was that she said this slowly, like I was a four year old and not almost an adult. I felt my face heat up from embarrassment; I mumbled out an apology and hurried from the building.

I looked at the buildings to the sides of the city hall and noticed one that said 'Offices' in big bold letters. No wonder the receptiveness doubted my intelligence. This building was luckily a lot less intimidating than the last; unluckily there was no one there to point me in the right direction. The chair behind the welcome desk sat empty and cold. Naturally I started wondering around; eventually I found the right place.

I tentatively knocked on the glass door with the words Mayor Nextfield printed on it. "Come in!" Inside was a cramped little office with file holders lining the walls and a big desk with a balding man sitting behind it. This had to be Mayor Nextfield ; he was a small man that kinda reminded me of master. "You're supposed to make an appointment." He said without looking up. "Kathy in the front will help you."

"Oh, I'm sorry, but there was nobody at the desk in the front," while I was saying this he slowly looked up and his glare became very icy, "I tried to find you quickly becauseI'mamagefromfairyandI'mheretotakethejob." I rushed out. And suddenly his whole demeanor changed and he was looking at me like I was the savior of the world. "I thought this was a little important." I added lamely. I wish Erza was here. She would have done this better. Well, for us; he would have had a headache by the end.

"I'm so sorry. It's been extremely busy around here and -you can take seat - and our funding went down again, because of that damn guild. I'm so happy you took this job; those ungrateful brats wouldn't help their own town. And then-" He went on and on; he finally stop when I held up my hand. "Oh I'm sorry. You don't want to hear this do you?" Rhetorical question. "The job's pretty straight forward- are you alright?" He reached across the desk and shook my shoulder.

I snapped out of the stupor I didn't realize I was in and jerked my head around to clear it and realized I was hunched over with my head in my hands. I hesitantly looked up. "Uhm, what?"

"I asked if you were alright."

"Yeah, I'm fine. If I could just have a glass of water?" He nodded his head, but still looked at me with skepticism. The cool glass was grounding between my fingers and I was finally able to focus.

"As I was saying," the mayor continued "the job is pretty straight forward. This, this thing keeps attacking farms on the east side. Our livestock has deplenished by forty percent. It hasn't killed any people." He had no need to add the yet to that sentence; we both knew it was there. Half way though his explanation he started rubbing his temples and even stop for a little bit to take some aspirin. "Some buildings were burned down, thankfully nobody was hurt. Crops have deplenished. People are afraid to leave their houses. I just really want this nightmare to be over."

"If I may ask,"

"Any questions are welcome."

"Why did the local guild turn this request down?"

He hesitated before he replied. "They said I didn't offer enough," WHAT? He was offering 100,000 jews for this. "for such a dangerous task." Then he got a little nervous and silent; like I was suddenly going reject the request. But I was determined. I was going to do this, and I was going to do this alone.

 **Part two done. Now all that's left is the actual story.**


	3. Chapter 1

Early the next day after I met with the mayor, I went out to the farms that he had said had been ambushed. It was true; a place that should have been producing grain only gave smoke off of amber's; corn that should have been tall and proud was trampled and destroyed. The air around this part of the country didn't even feel right, it was weighed down with the fear and sorrow of the people.

My heart ached out for them. This had to stop. _I_ had to stop it.

I explored around for a few more hours, but I saw no evidence of the monster itself; only the destruction left behind. Feeling dejected about my discoveries, I went into town desperate for something to quench the thirst the evening sun had affected on me. The bustling city seemed even more stuffed than normal- as normal as it felt when I arrived two days ago- as people were roughly bumping me out of their way; it was enough to make me feel nauseous. All of the jerking around didn't work well with me, and one moment I was pushing though the crowd trying to get to the nearest cafe as fast as I could, and the next I was so dizzy I had to grab the closest thing to me to avoid tipping.

Unfortunately that 'thing' turned out to be a very disputed woman who scowled at me and rudely pushed me away. My bad luck struck again when then I stumbled into a guy about my age with black hair and a piercing gaze. "Excuse me. sorry." I mumble. I start to sway and this random person, bless his heart, locked his hands on my shoulders to steady me. The guy's face was vaguely familiar, but the fog in my head wouldn't lift enough for me to think straight, much less recognize him.

Blackness started closing in. Desperate to clear it away I shook my head, it didn't help anything and I started to lose feeling in my fingers. The last thing I heard was a surprised and confused "Lucy?". The final thought I had was: how does this handsome stranger know me? Then blackness took me into its arms like I was a old friend.

* * *

BACK AT THE GUILD

"Um, Mirajane what was that guild that turned down that job that Lucy went on?"

"Oh, Sabertooth. Why?"

"WHAT?!"

"I don't see why that would be a problem. I think Sting and Lucy Would be cute together, honesity."

* * *

I woke up in a unfamiliar room; it looked like an infirmary, with its stark white walls. And it smelled like one to, like bleach. I glanced down and thankfully I was still in my own clothing. I was busy looking around and getting a little freaked out when two immediately recognizable persons walked in, the infamous twin dragonslayers. My eyes widened and I scrambled back on the uncomfortable bed I was on, holding a pillow to my chest as if it was a shield. My heart bumped painfully against my ribs.

"Woah there blondie," Sting said with his hands out in peacing matter. "We just wanna help you." And it was weird: I believed him. "It's okay. You can put the pillow down." Maybe it was his sincere, calm voice or the strange concern in his eyes, but I slowly lowered the pillow and released my white-knuckled grip. He smirked, "Good."

I still eyed them with caution as Sting made himself comfortable in the chair by my bed and Rogue leaned against the wall closest to the door. I breath deeply and try to calm my heart.

"Wh-" I start, but my throat was so dry that I couldn't get the words out. Sting was already offering me a glass of water; I took it and gulped it down gratefully. I cleared my wind pipes and amazingly my voice came out normally. "Why are you guys here? Better yet, Where is here?"

"You don't remember?" Rogue asked

"No. Not really."

Sting sighed and took it upon himself to explain, "When you ran into Rogue at the market today, you were so starved and dehydrated that you passed out. There were so many people around we really couldn't do anything there, so we brought you back here to Sabertooth. You kept waking up and mumbling random nonsense and then suddenly you would be out again. We had to force feed you to get you awake for real, but still that still took -what time is it - oh, seven hours. Now that you're awake and your questions have been answered, answer me. Blondie, what's going on with you?"

I took a moment to process what he said, but to also figure out how to answer him. So I bumped it to Rogue, that's why the random pedestrian looked familiar. I felt blood run to my cheeks; I really embarrassed myself didn't I? I glanced over at dark and mysterious himself and I swear I saw a blush tinting his cheeks too. I looked down and smiled a small smile, when I looked up Sting's head was swinging back and forth between us trying to figure out what was going on. He pouted, clearly not able discover what was going on. "Seriously, what's going on? Why are you here?" Sting snapped, feeling left out.

I cut my glanced back to him and he stared at me with his lips pressed.

I sighed. "I came into town because of a request." Both of them looked at me with confusion. "What?" This time it was me who snapped.

"Without, um, without Natsu?" Sting asked, hesitant for some reason. It was really strange seeing him like this, he's normally so confident.

"Yeah, so? He's not my personal guard or something."

"No, no that's not what we were thinking. It just that aren't you guys.." he glanced back at Rogue then again at me. "...dating?"

My eyebrows shot up, and my face which had finally cooled down heated up again. I threw my hands out. "No, no, no, no." I bought my hands back just to bury my head in them. "No, we're not like that. We're just friends." I mumble though my fingers, the hotness in my face almost unbearable.

"Does he know that?" Rogue asked coldly. I pulled my face from my hands and stared at him. Before I could ask what the heck he meant the door burst open and Yukino charged in.

"Guys! You were supposed to tell me when she woke up!" She chafisated the slayers; Sting sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and Rogue looked down at his feet. With the boys properly lectured, she turned a worrying gaze to me. "Lucy, are you feeling alright?" I smile at her and assure that I'm feeling fine. She then proceeds to ask why I was starving myself. Sting and Rogue both nodded and looked at me questionably.

"I didn't mean to. I swear. It just that this is the first solo job I've taken and I was so nervous that I just forgot to eat, I guess." Yukino's face softened and she nodded in understanding.

"If you want to we can go get something to eat down at a cafe near by." She suggested pulling at my hand. I laughed at her antics. It was nice to see here like this. Happy and comfortable. The guys said they would come with, and so all four of us headed to a small cozy place that was pretty close to the guild. It was still far enough away that I started to feel faint again by the time we got there.

Yukino was ahead of me and when she opened the door the smells pushed me over the edge and I started swaying in the doorway; Sting and Rogue reached out to steady me at the same time. They both stiffened and shared a look over the top of my head that I didn't catch and slowly Rogue released his hold on my arm.

I was surprised when Sting helped me all the way to my seat. I looked up and smiled at him for the first time since I woke up. "Thank you." I say honestly. He stared at me a moment.

"Yeah, no problem."

* * *

I honestly could not tell which was worse: The fact that all three were doting on me or the fact that I could probably never repay their kindness. When I voiced my second concern to Yukino when she helped me get to the bathroom- which was totally not necessary but she insisted- she simply replied,

"You don't have to repay us! You're our friend. We've made it our first priority to assist our friends any way we can." I wanted to say more after that, but my bladder begged for relief and then I didn't know how to bring it up again.

The meal was fun, but I couldn't get my mind off the job I've been forsaking. By the time we left it was dark out and I was exhausted. They then even walked me all the way back to my hotel, which was completely out of the way for them.

In front of the building Yukino hugged me and told me that if I needed anything to call her. Rogue nodded in my direction and walked off with Yukino, leaving Sting and me alone. Even though I knew he was a friend of Natsu, I couldn't help remember that he never proved his change to me. I nervously twiddled my fingers. Finally he cleared his throat and spoke.

"I'm sorry about the misunderstanding earlier." It looked like it was painful for him to say this so I immediately wanted to forgive him, but what was he talking about?

"What are you talking about?"

"Uh, when I thought that you were going out with Natsu." If I said that apozing was painful for him it looked like this was executioning. He's cheeks darkened and he looked away to hide it.

"Oh, that."

"Yeah I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. I was hoping that wasn't why you were acting weird all though dinner."

"No, no. That's not why I was acting weird. I'm just really worried about this request," the relief on face made my face heat up. Maybe it was dark enough that he couldn't see it. "Um, no, yes I understand why you thought that. But we're really not like that... I think Natsu is to dense to realize that I do like him that way." After my traitors mouth said that my face heated up so much I'm pretty sure it was glowing. I snapped my hands over my mouth. Staring wide eyed at Sting I wondered how he would respond.

"Huh, who would have thought the princess would fall in love with the dragon." He smirked, but it looked a little forced. Grateful to him for trying to lighten the mood I sighed in relief.

"It happened with you too." He was the one to stare at me wide eyed this time. "I mean, with Yukino." I added. He's eyes relaxed and he glances away from my face.

"Yeah, maybe. Goodnight, Blondie." He turns around.

Before he can walk away I yell, "You're blonde too, idiot!" I hear him laugh out loud and he waves to me over his shoulder.

As I shut my door on the night I couldn't help the goofy grin that spread my face. I was so glad I had friends here.

* * *

 **Word count 1,972.**

 **I'm not very confident about this one, honestly. Any constructive criticism would be great.**

 **There's a poll up at my page about who you would want Lucy to end up with. I hope you'll vote!**


End file.
